Kolkata, March 16: The transfer of several officials and police personnel in West Bengal has been halted. This decision came just an hour before the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the dates for the two-phase voting in the state.
With the announcement of the elections, the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) has been enforced, preventing the West Bengal government from making any administrative decisions without ECI approval.
The ECI had previously ordered the transfer of 11 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers and 109 West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) officials before the announcement of the voting dates and the enforcement of the MCC. However, legal complexities may hinder the implementation of these transfers for some IAS and police officials.
Sources from the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal stated, “If the transfer order is issued and the transferred officer assumes their new position before the MCC comes into effect, there will be no issue. However, for those who have not reported to their new positions before the MCC, the state government cannot implement the transfer without the Election Commission’s consent.”
According to them, the rules in this regard are quite clear. “First, the state government cannot arbitrarily transfer any officer involved in the electoral process. If the state government deems it necessary to transfer an officer for administrative purposes, they must first seek the Election Commission’s approval. All matters related to transfers are now under the commission’s jurisdiction and will remain so until the commission’s order is in effect.”
The elections in West Bengal will take place in two phases on April 23 and April 29. The first phase will cover 152 assembly constituencies, while the second phase will encompass the remaining 142 constituencies.
In an unprecedented development on Sunday night, the Election Commission ordered the transfers of West Bengal’s Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and the state’s Home Secretary Jagdish Prasad Meena, directing that both will not participate in any election-related activities. Dushyant Nariyala has replaced Chakraborty, while Sanghamitra Ghosh has taken over from Meena.
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S.A.K./V.C.
My name is Narendra Jijhontiya. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including TECHNOLOGY, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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